“…How do we become more submitted to Jesus? We stop asking him to compromise His lordship…”

I think every Christian can relate to the idea of compromising our worship and service to God. “If you just gave me this I’d worship you more/better” or “I’m just busy and tired right now” etc. We all do it, I do it, we all have our excuses; our reasons. Sometimes it might be true, most of the time….I don’t think so. But maybe if we hand over the things we worry about; things that take up our time, maybe if we actually took the to stop thinking about ourselves and think more about our Lord. Then God can actually fulfill and bless us with the things we so deeply desire.

When the music fades And all is stripped away And I simply come Longing just to bring Something that’s of worth That will bless your heart

I’ll bring You more than a song For a song in itself Is not what You have required You search much deeper within Through the ways things appear You’re looking into my heart

I’m coming back to the heart of worship And it’s all about You All about You, Jesus I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it When it’s all about You It’s all about You Jesus

King of endless worth No one could express How much You deserve Though I’m weak and poor All I have is Yours Every single breath

-Heart of worship by Matt Redman

A little while back over the summer, a few of us from my youth fellowship who were also part of the worship team (or were interested in the topic of worship) got together and started doing devo’s/discussion together. We started talking about what it meant to be a part of worship, what it means to lead worship in the worship team etc. And it made me think about this song (above).

Whether we are part of the worship team, leading the worship team, leading a group into worship, I feel like, you are first a worshipper of God. And worship is for God, it’s not a performance for people (though no lies, it does feel like it sometimes), it’s not about us singing, or not singing or being able to sing well or if we sing terribly, or if we play perfectly or if we make mistakes etc. it’s not about us, it’s about God. And….one of the things I think I love about the worship part of any message or Sunday sermon is that you can toss aside all the crap you might’ve been dealing with at the time, day, week etc. and just focus on God. Just enjoy being there in his presence. And sometimes, a least for me, this means I’m just meditating on words and lyrics, reading them like a prayer (or praise) in my head.

So what’s worship all about? It be about God, and how you worship is between you a God. Ain’t that nice?

It’s been a while since I’ve written a devo post. Darrrr feel terrible about that x.x So. Since I have a smartphone now (and I’ve been doing my devos in the morning on my way to work) I’m going to try this thing where I do devo and then draft a post so I can post it later when I have internet (cuz I don’t have data and I don’t plan to get data since I have internet at home and work and I don’t need it in between). Anyhoo, here’s hoping this’ll work cause I do love writing and blogging my thoughts down (I’m a visual person lol).

On another devoted related note. The last few devos I’ve been going through focused on Malachi and the concept of God being the refiner who has the eye for finding gold/silver though hidden among all the other ores around it (i.e
us) and purifying and refining it to it’s intended beauty. The random quote that was included in yesterday’s devo I found to be encouraging and hopeful so I thought I’d share it today

If there is joy in the world, surely the man of pure heart possesses it.

“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”

– Jeremiah 32:17

I was feeling really frustrated with myself and various things today so I blabbed about it to God in writing in my thoughts/prayer book (just now lol, I keep a physical private book for that, it’s kinda like my God diary haha). Then I was thinking about what scripture could tell me right now, so I looked at today’s daily verse on my laptop, which is the above from Jeremiah.

And oh how we forget (me too), that our God is the creator of the heavens and the earth, if He can do that, then solving our problems is God sweeping the dust out of the corners of the earth. 😛

Just need a little faith, but after I blabbed and read this verse, I felt more at peace, and I’m glad that God has lots of that to spare

I see Your face in every sunrise The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes The world awakens in the light of the day I look up to the sky and say You’re beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright We are amazed in the light of the stars It’s all proclaiming who you are You’re beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne Soon we will be coming home You’re beautiful

When we arrive at eternity’s shore Where death is just a memory and tears are no more We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring Your bride will come together and we’ll sing You’re beautiful

–Beautiful by Phil Wickham

What a wonderful and beautiful song by Phil Wickham.

This was one of the songs we sang at my church summer retreat this year. I couldn’t sing it the first time because I was choked up on tears as I read the words. One of my devo’s last week also focused on the majesty and reverence of God, and how sometimes it’s just good and wonderful to stop, think, realize and be reverent about the awesome God who created and blessed us with everything around us. From the smallest particle to the grandest sunrise and sunset skies.